The present invention relates to a high speed pin actuator for dot matrix printing and to a method of efficiently fabricating such an actuator. As is understood by those skilled in the printing arts, dot matrix impact printing is typically accomplished by a printhead carrying a plurality of printing pins, each of which is selectively operated by a magnetic actuator. The pins are typically arrayed in a vertical line and, as the head is traversed across a sheet of paper, the actuators are energized in the appropriate sequence to print characters sequentially across the paper. While throughput and character image resolution are particularly functions of the number of pins and actuators which are available, both the printer throughput and the accuracy of the formed characters are also highly dependent upon the speed at which the actuator can be operated.
Among the several objects of the present invention may therefore be noted the provision of a pin actuator for dot matrix printing with is operable at high speed; the provision of such an actuator which is compact and light weight so that a multiplicity of such actuators can be included in a single printhead; the provision of such an actuator which can be efficiently manufactured in large quantities; the provision of such an actuator which can be manufactured at relatively low cost; the provision of such an actuator which provides highly reproducible results from device to device; the provision of such an actuator which is highly reliable and is of relatively simple and inexpensive manufacture. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.